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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25369729">Voices in the Capitol</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanthe/pseuds/zanthe'>zanthe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Xenoblade Chronicles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:42:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25369729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanthe/pseuds/zanthe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Riki can hear the dead, and he can hear the whispers of the Telethia as well.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Voices in the Capitol</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>  Alcamoth was a terrifying place now, and Riki shivered as he padded around quietly, careful not to draw the attention of any Dinobeasts. He did his very best to show no signs of fear, to keep his fur flat and appear as small as possible. Behind him, Melia and Shulk were equally quiet and equally careful, both keeping an eye on opposite directions as they made their way deeper into the capitol. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  They couldn’t hear them, the Dinobeasts, not like he could, and truthfully Riki was thankful for that. He could bear it, and he didn’t have to tell them, it would only make them hurt more for those turned into mindless Dinobeasts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “.̶̤̎.̶̠͒.̷͕̑S̴̗̿c̶̟̆ā̵̢r̸̩̎l̶͍̈́ĕ̶̖n̸̢̑?̶̞͝ ̴̟͂.̶͓̔.̵̭̍.̵͉́.̵̰̄.̶̨̉ ̷̗͗R̸̤̓o̶̭̽z̸̹̐e̶̯͝a̶̪̎ļ̸̈́?̸̮̆ ̶͉͂W̵̹̍h̸̊͜ḙ̸̕ȑ̸̭e̴̦͊ ̴̭͝a̷̳̎r̷̭͋e̶̜̊ ̴̹͊y̵̗̏ö̶̫́ủ̵̟.̸̺̅.̸̟̏.̶̬͑.̷̦͂.̵̧̾.̸͇̍.̷̺̆?̸̝̿” A distorted voice hissed from nearby, making Riki’s fur spike up. He swallowed down the fear and took a few paces back, quickly redirecting the group to avoid the path of a small Dinobeast. “.̵.̴.̶ ̸W̸h̶e̸r̶e̵ ̷a̸r̶e̴ ̸y̵o̸u̷.̵.̷.̵?̵” The creature repeated as it passed them, and it continued to repeat the same names and phrases as it wandered away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “Riki,” Melia whispered, leaning down and using her wings to muffle her voice, “are you ok?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “Riki is alright,” he nodded, shaking off the lingering dread, “friends follow Riki, friends be careful.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  With silent steps they trekked further into Alcamoth, and the voices grew ever louder and busier. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “C̸i̴a̴n̵.̶.̶!̶ ̶A̵t̵a̸e̴l̷.̷.̶!̴ ̴W̵h̴e̶r̵e̷ ̷h̶a̶v̸e̸ ̴y̴o̵u̶ ̷g̵o̶n̷e̷ ̸t̸o̵?̶” Riki recognized that voice, he had been there with Fiora when Atael told her about his father’s fate, and asked for the group to retrieve something he’d buried. It circled the fountain where the two littlepon had played, running desperate circles trying to find them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “M̴̺̈o̴̢͛t̷̳̅h̸͇͆ḛ̶͋r̵̞̉?̴̥͊!̴̰̈ ̸̯̋Ṁ̴͉o̶̗̍ṫ̴̯h̴͜͝ẹ̷̋r̸̅ͅ ̸͉̽h̶̻̓e̴͇͐l̶̮͑p̷̢͑ ̸̟̍m̴̖̓e̶̡͝,̵̝͛ ̴̖̌I̵̦̎'̵̛̪ḿ̷̧ ̸̼̊s̸̛͉c̷̟͛ả̴͙ȓ̸̠e̵̫͝d̴͙͘!̵̧̈” Riki’s heart hurt as another Dinobeast cried out, screeching as it flew below the platforms. So many of the Dinobeasts were equally lost, scared, confused. He wondered if they even knew what they were anymore, they would say the same things over and over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “N̸o̸ ̵m̵a̷t̸t̶e̴r̶ ̸w̴h̵a̷t̴,̵ ̷I̶ ̸m̶u̵s̴t̶ ̶r̴e̶m̵a̵i̷n̴ ̶h̷e̷r̸e̵.̸ ̷I̶ ̴w̶i̴l̵l̵ ̵d̷o̶ ̷m̶y̵ ̶d̴u̴t̴y̷ ̶t̸o̷ ̶p̸r̴o̸t̶e̶c̸t̵ ̷m̶y̵ ̵h̷o̸m̴e̶.̷” This one had been a guard, Riki noted. Even like this, they remained loyal to their home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  Another voice hissed nearby, “T̷e̸e̵l̶a̵n̴!̴ ̷T̵e̷e̶l̷a̷n̷.̷.̵.̷!̷ ̵I̴ ̶c̶a̸n̸'̸t̸ ̵s̵e̸e̵ ̴y̵o̷u̴!̸” Teelan’s mother? Riki frowned, wishing there was a way to tell her the boy was safe. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  “That’s the last of these flowers,” Shulk whispered to Riki and Melia, gesturing towards the exit, and quick as a flash Riki led them down the escalators. “By the way, are you feeling alright?” Shulk frowned, and Melia made a noise of agreement as they descended. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  Riki’s fur fluffed up proudly, “Riki is heropon for good reason!” He beamed, “Friends have no scary! Riki alright, Riki make sure friends alright too. Riki say time to go!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  Without waiting for them to argue, he put on a brave face as they left the city, stopping at the transporter after his friends disappeared inside to give a final glance at the ruined city. “Riki want to make a promise,” he said, bristling with determination. “Riki will come back to save Dinobeasts, and keep their families safe.” With a nod he stepped forward, and disappeared inside, too. </span>
</p>
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